THE HUXLEY FILE
Professor Huxley said that on the particular question of tobacco, he regretted to state that he was in the most awkward position imaginable. For forty years of his life tobacco was a deadly poison to him. He was brought up a Medical student, and Medical students were not averse to tobacco. Therefore, he had every temptation to acquire the habit of smoking, and many were the attempts he made, but they always resulted, after half-a -dozen puffs, in his finding himself on the floor of the room in which he chanced to be. From having been a Medical student he became an officer in the navy–and they knew that sailors were not averse to tobacco. He must confess that many a day, after a cruise under a hot sun, he had looked with the most complete envy upon his brother officers, who were stretched in what comfortable positions they could find, seeming to derive from the pipe a solace such as could only be derived from the highest sources of pleasure. But he could not enjoy that pleasure at the time; and he need not tell his hearers that, under those circumstances, he was then the most inveterate tobacco hater in the world. In fact, if it had not been for the tolerant ideas he had imbibed in his youth, he did not know if he would not at the time have supported any institution that had for its object the putting to death of tobacco smokers. However, some three or four years ago, he was making a tour in Britanny with some friends, and after entering an inn his friends commenced to smoke. They tempted him to a cigar, and they looked so happy, and it was so miserable and uncomfortable outside, that he tried if a cigar would make a changed man of him; and he found that he was a changed man. He found that he was in the position of a lamentable pervert; and, though he did not find from smoking that feeling of happiness which some people seemed to experience, still he felt that smoking was a comfortable and laudable practice, so far as he could discover from internal sensations. That was an illustration of the evil of bad associates, although the gentleman who led him astray was a most distinguished person, and a former President of the Association. From that day he dated his ruin; and, although he was not a constant smoker, yet whenever a smoke was going on he was pretty sure to join in it. So long as he kept without moderation in smoking, there was no more harm in it than he could discover in a cup of tea. Tobacco, in moderation, was a sweetener and equalliser of the temper; but the question of smoking or not smoking was like all other such questions. He did not see the use of being fanatical one either side. They might poison themselves with beef-steaks if they liked, and he did not know anything worse or more likely to destroy health than excessive smoking. So it was with the abuse of everything; and those who were unable to touch the smallest particle of tobacco had no right to abuse those who used it freely, any more than he (Professor Huxley) had a right to recur to his former state, and looked down pharisiacally upon his present one.
THE HUXLEY FILE